Kissed by Lightning Ch. 02

I just wanted to thank my First editor, who has been supportive and positive throughout this project *drumroll*

mikothebaby. Thank you very much for everything.

I know there are some grammatical errors on the previous ones but I can always come back and edit the ones I've already posted in the future.

But I hope you guys don't get too impatient with me.

Thank you for all the comments, good or bad. I appreciate the feedback.

Enjoy.

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Morning came streaming in through the windows of the mansion, lighting everything with a healthy glow. The forest was quiet and foggy as the cold started to creep in and the trees were shades of bright green and orange that had survived fall. The compound came alive with activity as wolves began to come out and begin their day with a run. The omegas in the mansion started the day with the usual chores. Everyone had a job and everything was in its place but there was something hanging in the air that was unsettling.

Stefani jolted awake, breathing hard, conscious of the burning pain at her shoulder. She was panting hard, rubbing her head softly as she tried to forget the nightmares that haunted her sleep. She applied pressure to her shoulder, taking a sigh of relief when it felt a little better. She moved her legs off the sofa; took a deep breath and picked up her bag. She went over to the bathroom in the lounge.

While she started taking a shower, Lucian and Johnson came in and sat down waiting for her to come out. Both were unsure on how they were going to approach the subject of Cole to the Mactire's. Meanwhile, Outside of the mansion, two hummers were arriving. The omegas rushed to the aid, picking up the luggage and leading the guests into the main living room.

Stefani stepped out of the bathroom, washed and dressed. The clothes in the bag had all been Cole's, so she kept on the leggings and chose a white dress shirt because it smelled strongly of him. It honestly looked more like a dress on her, but she was glad to be in clean clothes at least. Brushing her hair back, she smiled at the two men she came to trust in the short time of meeting them.

"You look tired... Did you not rest well? "Johnson asked and she shook her head, unwilling to speak about it. Lucian held out his hand to her, "We're meeting the Alpha upstairs. We are going to need you to stick by us at all times. There are certain people you are going to meet who might have a very violent reaction to you. I know you don't understand but just trust me." His voice was soft, she nodded. Stefani was starting to realize that much was out of her control or knowledge, so she was going to have to wait to get some answers.

"We will have breakfast delivered to you upstairs" Johnson said and they walked her upstairs. Stefani got more time to look around at the great architecture of the building and the decor. The staircase was a grand thing, huge and lined with fine marble and wood. Strange combination but it seemed to add to the healthy earthy feel of the mansion.

They finally came to a room that looked like something straight out of the war room in a movie. More than a dozen screens lined one of the largest walls, with computers off to the sides. There was a long curved table with several comfortable seats facing those screens. She noticed one side of the table had plating set up with food and that's exactly where they guided her. Lucian and Johnson took up chairs to her sides, but they all stayed standing.

"We stand, when greeting the alphas. You should refer to them as Alpha and we are referred to as Elders." Just as he finished the doors opened and Alpha O'Faolain stepped through, followed by Elba, the healer.

"Good morning" The alpha was stern but courteous. Stefani just gave him a glare and dismissed him quickly. She instead approached Elba and said good morning quietly to her. The elderly woman smiled at her, wrinkled her nose in confusion for a second. She was about to speak when the doors opened again. Stefani looked past Elba and she choked on her breath. Her body trembled and tears gathered in her eyes. The figure standing in the doorway took her breath away.

"Alpha Mactire," Rain announced as he went over to the man and they embraced in a manly form. Behind him walked a beautiful dirty blonde (man or woman) with green eyes and a tall man with brown hair and brown eyes. Elba went over to embrace them leaving Stefani frozen to place, her eyes fastened to one specific man. The alphas held their own conversation. The people in the room seemed oblivious to her presence.

Lucian came over and turned her around, lowering his eyes to hers. Johnson stepped in front of them, shielding them both with his body. "Are you ok?" Lucian asked, concerned as her trembling didn't stop, her face paled and her lips shook. She turned around in his arms, this time Lucian released her, while rubbing his chin. He knew better than to restrain her. She took a peek before stepping careful from behind Johnson.

"Stefani, No!" Lucian was reaching for her but she was moving already. Her hands were shaking as she approached the alpha. Rain turned to face her as she approached. Expecting a rude remark, he was surprised to see her eyes glued to Hale. He took in her expression and he was at full alert. He was about to ask her what was wrong when she threw her arms around Hale and tucked her head to his chest. Hale looked up at Rain, bewildered.

"Stefani that's not--" Lucian started as Stefani looked up the man she was holding. A couple silent seconds passed by. Her eyes teared up as they connected with that strange hazel brown with silver rims. She sobbed and stepped back, her hand to his chest. It all happened in only moments as no one understood, "You're not Cole!"

Hale Mactire looked down at the woman in front of him, her broken sobs cut through his heart and he didn't understand why. His eyes softened. "Rain, who is this?" Hale motioned without breaking eye contact with her. Lucian rushed to her side, his gaze falling to the three elders behind Hale. All seemed to be frozen with them. Johnson came forward standing between them as Lucian tried to calm her down. Elba, Lady Mactire and Faust Mactire sniffed the air and immediately growled. Stefani looked up at them in fear but she looked right through them, her mind spinning.

"Faust, you are scaring her. Please Calm your wolves. You must let us explain!" Johnson tried to reason with them. He understood how wild they were right now, he noticed the look in their eyes. "She wears his scent O'Faolain, what sorcery is this!" Faust shouted at his elder friend, a fury burning inside him as he felt his mate's misery batter his senses. "Father, what has gotten into you?" Hale asked, not sure whether to watch the female behind the elders or his parents who seemed to be having a mental break down.

"Enough! You are in my territory, you will behave accordingly!" Rain's voice slashed through the room, the alpha command in each word.

"Mother?" Hale spoke bewildered as his mother broke out in sobs, his father embracing her tight as he glared at the human female.

"The alpha's demand an explanation now!" Rain O'Faolain turned his gaze to his elders with fury. Rain didn't understand why Stefani hugging Hale had affected him so much or why his wolf howled in anger as her sobs broke through the silence but he was containing himself by pure will.

He walked over to the girl, spinning her around and shaking her by the shoulders harshly. She hiccupped and looked up at him with those large puppy dog eyes. He groaned. "What is wrong woman?" He demanded and her only response was to look at Hale, which angered Rain even more. He didn't like the way her eyes lingered on him.

"It was all my fault" She whispered brokenly as she stepped away from him.

"Alpha. Stefani bears the scent of their dead son." Elba whispered softly. Silence filled the air as Faust contained his anger and worked on soothing his mate.

Hale looked up shocked, "What is she talking about?" When his parents didn't speak, he took a deep breath. "I am your alpha and I demand answers. Elders, you will speak!" He commanded his parents and they both felt the compulsion to do as he said.

"You have - had a brother Hale. You were an infant, weeks old when your older brother... died. We thought it best not to mention it. We might have when you were older. We just never got around to it. We didn't want to open wounds that would cause unnecessary pain." His father spoke, his words directed to him. Hale couldn't believe it. He'd been alive for two hundred and fifty years and he had a dead brother he knew nothing about.

Hale looked up at her. "She bears his scent, she speaks his name. Only the elders know of your brother. Why?" His mother sobbed softly. Hale stepped forward, feeling a strange compulsion to the young female who sobbed. He didn't understand the compulsion but he did sense something familiar in her scent, or the scent she wore.

"My name is Hale Mactire. I must apologize for my parents' behavior. We'd -- We'd appreciate it if you could share whatever you know of this man." His voice was soft as he regarded her. Stefani looked up into his eyes and smiled through tears. He opened his arms in an open invitation.

Stepping towards him, Lucian tried to stop her but she brushed his hands away. She walked towards him and everyone held their breath. She looked up into his eyes and cocked her head to the side. She touched his hands, running them upwards to his shoulders. Silent tears ran down her cheeks, as she touched his cheek softly for a couples minutes. "He's alive."

Her voice was scratchy. Moving away from him and towards his parents, she felt everyone eyes on her. "Stefani, that's not safe" Lucian spoke up afraid for her well being.

"I deserve this one. To be their pin cushion. I feel like I deserve it." She smiled sadly as she reached them, picking up her shirt and inhaling his scent, which helped calm her. She stepped closer. "He's alive. Your son is alive." She bit her lip as the blonde woman stepped towards her and enveloped her arms around her. She could feel the woman smelling her shirt. Saw her husband, come forward and inhale the scent as well. Stefani tried not to tremble, but little shivers ran down her spine. The Mactire elders simply let their dead son's scent wash over their senses. Their hearts aching with joy.

Johnson walked over to the group, placing his hand on her shoulder. Her teary gaze looked up at him and he froze. In those eyes, was the power to move a mountain, her soul pierced straight into his and softened his core. Clearing his head, he pulled Stefani out of their embrace with some difficulty. "She's a good girl. Be calm Mactire's."

His voice was reassuring as he led Stefani back to her seat. "You are not a pincushion and you certainly don't deserve it" His voice was soft as it whispered in her ear. "Now, eat!" The rest of the people moved into the chairs, with the alpha O'Faolain at the head of the table. The computers turned on, different people blinking in their image. "We have a problem." Johnson said as he sat next to Stefani, keeping his gaze locked on her hunched figure.

"Where is he?" Faust asked, his dark brown eyes gazing at her, no longer with anger. She wished she knew. Stefani swallowed hard, without giving an answer.

"A couple days ago, we received a signal, the one from the cabin up in Quebec." Lucian spoke this time, watching all the elders and their reaction.

"You mean the Haven cabin." A feminine voice came through one of the screens.

Lucian stiffened. "Yes Mate, Haven cabin." Murmurs broke through the room within the elders as all four alphas waited confused. Stefani looked up to the screen that spoke. A delicate woman sat in the image. Her light brown hair was curled and streaked with silver, her dark brown eyes bore into the man sitting beside Stefani.

"Father, what are you referring to? And why was I never informed of your field trip?" A soothing voice came from the screen next to his mate's. It was man, a very attractive man, with long blonde hair and gray eyes like his father. With lean muscle and even sitting down he looked tall.

Lucian sighed. "There was no time. It has been 400 years since that signal has been lost to all of us, the Haven name, only a whisper among legend now. We rushed, both Johnson and I, because our signal had been called," he answered, as he pushed the orange juice at Stefani who was staring at the food depressed.

Rain gazed down at Stefani for a second, disliking her almost faded demeanor. He liked her much better when she was being a rude little brat. "Once we got there, we found them. Cole Mactire, in the flesh, much more refined and his scent altered slightly. We were both shocked and angry. We thought it was some sort of dark sorcery." Johnson tapped his fingers against the table nervously.

"Then we met the human female, Stefani. It was all so fast. We must have been there max twenty minutes, before the Vampires descended on the cabin," Lucian spoke, noticing the way Stefani wrapped her arms around herself and started to shiver. Her skin let out a stream of icy fear that made his guts twist painfully.

"I'm sorry." Stefani looked up at him, at his apologetic tone. He knew remembering was bringing back horrible memories for her, but he had to be as descriptive as possible.

"It's ok. It's the only way" She responded and tried to swallow her fear. She stole a look at the O'Faolain alpha, who was staring at her. His body was coiled tight and seemed ready to pounce. Rain didn't like the smell of fear coming from the female, it made his wolf growl angrily.

"We gave him our word that we'd get her out of there safely and bring her to the packs. That's what he wanted, protection from the packs. He caused a diversion so we could get away." Johnson spoke and looked at the Mactires. The parents stiffened. "We don't know if he survived." His voice was hard and contained.

Stefani shook her head. "He's alive."

"We can't know that Stefani," Lucian argued with her.

"No! He's alive!" She stood and slammed her palms on the table, looking up at what were clearly his parents.

"How could you know that?" Lucian's mate asked through the screens.

She bit her lip, not sure she wanted to share that part of her life that she'd never spoken about to anyone. "I can feel him. I don't know how or why but we've just always been able to feel each other. He's far, but alive." Her voice was soft but determined.

"It could be something else you're feeling" Lucian's mate said.

She shook her head. "No! He wouldn't leave me. We've been through so much together. He promised he wouldn't leave me. Oh God! It's all my fault" She sat down, crying into her palms. Nobody knew how to calm her, how to approach her.

It was Hale who finally stood up and kneeled by her chair. Taking her hands away from her face and forcing her to look at him. "We're going to get him back Stefani. Be calm. I won't rest till we bring him back but I'm sure he wouldn't want you to blame yourself for it." His warm hands wiped her tears and he gave her a warm smile. She could see the yearning in his eyes.

"Cole mentioned something that is quiet unsettling. There is no way to know for sure... but Rodan is back." Loud growls erupted in the room and in several of the screens. Looking around it was only the elders.

"Cole-- He mentioned that Rodan was an evil werewolf, or what your kind call rogue," Stefani spoke softly. Everyone's eyes turned to her in surprise.

"Did Cole tell you anything else?" Lucian asked her.

"He only mentioned Rodan briefly, but from what I understood, he's in league with a vampire, who is also rogue."

"Why would he mention this to you?" Someone from one of the screens, who she didn't recognize asked.

She took a deep breath. She showed everyone her bruised cheek as she took off the bandages around one of her wrists and raising it to her cheek. Her wrist was swollen lightly and different shades of purple and blue. "Because it was the vampire who gave me these," she replied. Everyone was silent as they swallowed down the sympathy.

"Cole said a source had told him they were taking werewolves and supernatural beings and experimenting on them. That they were trying to make something but he didn't know what. He mentioned something in his safe that I should look for if anything happened to him. He said... he would make it safe for me" Her eyes watered, but she held the tears back.

"Do you know the vampire's name?" Alpha O'Faolain asked her.

Her gaze met his and she felt heat spread throughout her body as shame hit her. She looked away for a second. For some reason, she didn't want him to know what he'd done to her. She looked up into his eyes, her eyes hardening. "Varcolac."

******

The meeting didn't last longer than that as alpha O'Faolain said he'd find out more from Mactire's safe and then get back to the alphas. Everyone had moved down to the smaller meeting lounge. Stefani sat quietly by the window staring out at the compound. Lucian and Johnson were speaking quietly to the other elders. Hale and Rain were sitting on the sofas watching Stefani intently.

"Elders. We would like some background information. It displeases me that my own uncle would hide something from his alpha." Rain spoke and the room fell into silence. The elders gathered around the two alphas. Stefani kept her eyes focused on the forest surrounding the pack. Elba went to the front of the group, hesitating before looking at the two alphas.

"A long time ago there were five royal families. O'Faolain, Mactire, Faol, Lupino and Haven. For centuries these families were the strongest, largest, most productive packs in the world. Haven was the strongest, lead by Drake Haven and Dawn Haven who led with a strong kind hand. It was prosperous; it was a time when alphas didn't need to be as strict or commanding, a time of peace." Her eyes dropped to the floor with nostalgia.

"Then one day, a rogue, like no other came into play, Rodan. He was ruthless, merciless, and practiced dark arts. Our world had never encountered something of his nature... to that extent. Times grew dark as he terrorized packs throughout the world. He gained followers, wolves who gave up their minds to serve his evil purpose."

Lucian spoke up, "We hunted, lured him into our trap. That was our mistake. We, as a whole, underestimated him and his abilities. He tricked us, made us believe he was weak and at our time of celebration, he kidnapped Lady Haven. For three weeks, Drake searched, almost driven to insanity by the loss. Throughout those three weeks, the attacks ceased." Taking a deep breath he looked at the alphas reaction.

The elders let their memories flow as they remembered those dark times. Johnson spoke next, with a quick glance to his fellow elders, he took a deep breath. "One night, we received word that Lady Haven had been found. There were no details, one night she just appeared, that was always a great mystery to all of us. The families all came together to rejoice her coming home but something in the Lady was different. Something had changed. She didn't remember anything so there was no information to be had. But there were rumors, speculations that Rodan, experimented on her, tortured her till he broke her spirit, far beyond repair." His voice went still as he looked at Stefani, taking in her posture.

Looking back to the two alphas, who were leaning into the story, he continued "It was all quiet for a while. We thought he was gone, that our peace could return. It was around this time that Cole Mactire was visiting the Haven pack for training. He was a warrior, one of the best. We all had high hopes for him." Elba looked up at Hale, smiled softly, remembering Cole's eyes just as clearly. Faust and Audrina Mactire held their breath and held their hands, their eyes on their son, Hale.